By Chris Oddo | Sunday October 14, 2018
Caroline Garcia battled through a difficult first set and went on to claim the Tianjin title, her first of 2018.
Photo Source: EPA
Second-seeded Caroline Garcia flipped the script and took out top-seeded Karolina Pliskova to earn her first title of 2018 and sixth overall, 7-6(7), 6-3.
Garcia rallied from 5-1 down in the first-set breaker and saved a set point with Pliskova serving at 6-5 before taking the first set.
Garcia built on the momentum garnered in the opening set and raced out to a 5-0 lead in set two before the Czech reeled her in a bit, closing to 3-5 before the Frenchwoman put the finishing touches on her third career victory over Pliskova.
Garcia knocked her sixth ace of the match past Pliskova on match point to clinch the victory in one hour and 43 minutes.
“I got a little tight," Garcia said after the match according to WTATennis.com. "But there were some great rallies. I just tried to stay present and positive, not panic because she was coming back. I was still up, I was 5-3 and my serve, and in the match, I did some great service games, so I was just trying to do the same and focus point by point. That’s what helped me."
24-year-old Garcia saved five of six break points to improve to 3-3 lifetime against Pliskova and improve to 38-21 on the season.
It’s her third career title in China.
Pliskova had a chance to qualify for the WTA Finals at Singapore with a title this week, but she’s holding firmly to the No. 8 slot, leading Kiki Bertens by 130 points as both prepare for the season’s final regular season event at Moscow next week.